Kansas
*Kansas-The Sunflower State* The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) Kansas is a state within the United States of America. It also was the official chosen homeland that L. Frank Baum placed his iconic protagonist character named Dorothy Gale, her little pet dog named Toto and Dorothy's guardians; Uncle Henry and Aunt Em in when he wrote his first Oz book titled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900. During the time the book was written, Kansas was strictly a place for farming communities. It was also known for having powerful storms with deadly tornadoes that would destroy the farms of the settlers who came to make their homes on the desolate praries hoping to raise prosperous and healthy crops. In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the story opens up with the first chapter titled The Cyclone which introduces the reader to the novels heroine Dorothy who lives on a small farm in the midst of the great Kansas prairies in circa 1899-1900. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) Dorothy lives a rather isolated life as an orphan child raised by her Uncle Henry who was a seemingly very poor farmer and her Aunt Em, who was the farmer's Wife. The three of them lived in a one room farmhouse made of old wood which contained a rusty looking cooking stove, a wooden table, three chairs and two beds. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz The Cyclone On a day that was described as being strangely "grayer" than usual, a storm came to the farmland and brought a deadly cyclone with it. Dorothy's Uncle Henry and Aunt Em saw the cyclone approaching and they were lucky enough to get into the storm cellar in time, but unfortunately for Dorothy, she was not fast enough to join them. This was because her dog Toto became frightened by the loud sound from the howling wind of the oncoming storm. Frightened by all the commotion, Toto jumped out of Dorothy's arms and ran under her bed to hide. Dorothy quickly went after him but by the time she caught Toto the wind swept up the tiny prairie farmhouse from its foundation and transported it, along with the girl and her dog far, far away to the undiscovered, magical Land of Oz. When Dorothy learned that she and Toto were no longer in Kansas anymore, Dorothy embarked on a long journey throughout the land, and became determined to find a way back home again. After Dorothy had many fantastical adventures in Oz and made many unforgettable friends, she eventually returned home to Kansas in the end. After her first adventure, Dorothy did return to Oz from time to time and when Uncle Henry and Aunt Em were both facing foreclosure on the farm, they all immigrated to Oz to permanently live in the Royal Palace of Oz within the Emerald City with Dorothy's best friend known as Princess Ozma of Oz. Thus, leaving the stressful and bleak existence on the Kansas farm behind to live happily ever after as immortals. *Dorothy is now an official Princess of Oz. The Wizard of Oz Cartoon 1933 The Wizard of Oz (1933) is an animated short film directed by Ted Eshbaugh. The story is credited to "Col. Frank Baum." Frank Joslyn Baum, a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army and eldest son of writer L. Frank Baum, was involved in the film's production, and may have had an involvement in the film's script, which is loosely inspired by the elder Baum's novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Wizard of Oz 1939 Munchkins (1939) In the 1939 film, Kansas is a colorless world as everything is seen in a brownish sepia tone. Dorothy with Toto live there with Aunt Em, Uncle Henry, Professor Marvel, the three farmworkers named Hunk, Hickory, and Zeke. Also there is the malevolent spirited Miss Almira Gulch. All of the Kansas characters except Aunt Em and Uncle Henry have counterparted-alter egos in the Land of Oz. Journey Back to Oz 1974 Journey Back to Oz (1974) In the all star cast animated sequel to the 1939 film titled Journey Back to Oz, Dorothy Gale and Toto are swept away from the farm once again and taken to Oz. Dorothy is voiced by Judy Garlands' daughter Liza Minnelli. In this movie, despite being a sequel to the 1939 film, Kansas in not in sepia tone of black and white. Return to Oz 1985 Nome King (1985) In Disney's 1985 Cult Classic Return to Oz, the film opens up with an insomniac Dorothy Gale, who has now been back from Kansas circa six months. However, the Kansas farm is in a state of despair due to the tornado that hit the prairie in the first story. The Kansas scenes were actually shot in Britain. In the end of the film Uncle Henry has finished building a brand new farm house to replace the new one that had been swept away to Oz. Oz the Great & Powerful Oscar Diggs (2013) In Disney's 'Oz the Great and Powerful' everything is set about 20-30 years before Dorothy Gale's story takes place. In this film a pre-Wizard by the name of Oscar is a phony Magician working at a carnival fair in circa 1900 Kansas. He is swept away to Oz via cyclone. Legends of Oz, Dorothy's Return 2014 In Legends of Oz, Dorothy and Toto are now back in Kansas with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry who are devastated by the state of destruction the twister has left the small town they live in.